This is one of those cherished activities that everyone loves.  Like a dental exam, or a bikini wax.

It can be awkward and uncomfortable and make everyone wonder if "dining and dashing" is really as unethical as it sounds...

Often, when dining with several friends, everyone will order nearly identical meals, and the issue of splitting the bill is a no-brainer.  You just split it evenly.  Those are happy times, indeed.

Then, there are the other times, when there are 8 girls, and 2 are pregnant and not drinking the outrageously expensive wine, and 3 are dieting and eating a small salad as their entree, and so on.  When the bill arrives, the drunk friends want the least amount of hassle, and just say "Letsh shplit the sheck".  Because alcohol makes the world seem like a fair and just place, and everything will all just even out.

But the pregnant girls, and salad girls probably owe a solid $20/each less than everyone else.  Even in our pseudo-recession, $20 can buy a lot!  A cheapie pedicure, a Bobbi Brown eyeshadow, the DVD of "The Pillow Book" (full-frontal Ewan MacGregor; you're welcome), and myriad other necessities.

It's not such a huge deal to divvy up the check by person, but it will take a few extra minutes.

Some people would whine "oh, it's so embarrassing - just split it evenly", but then you have to think:  why are you feeling more loyal to the waiter/waitress (in wanting to save them time) - than your own friends?

It is a bit of a chore to have to do math right after a large meal, and we here at Holiday Golightly, have actually created a fantastic tool to help with this (we will alert you when it's ready).

Until then, just grab a pen, and mark each girls' initials next to whatever items she ordered on the receipt, then run one total for each girl.  The girls who don't eat or drink as much will really appreciate it, and they are your girlfriends after all.

STAY TUNED FOR NEWS OF "DIVVY IT UP" (that's the name of the tool - easy no?).